Aaron Harvey achieves dual state badminton selection

BRAD COLE26 Feb 2014, 1 a.m.

AT JUST 15 years of age, badminton player Aaron Harvey is already competing well beyond his years.

Aaron Harvey achieves dual state badminton selection

NATIONALS BOUND: Ulverstone's Aaron Harvey has been selected for the 2014 Tasmanian under-17 badminton team which will compete in Auckland, NZ for the June Bevan Trophy and Australasian under-17 championships in April. Picture: Meg Windram.

AT JUST 15 years of age, badminton player Aaron Harvey is already competing well beyond his years.

The Ulverstone teenager has gained selection for not only Tasmania's under-17 team that will compete in Auckland, New Zealand in April, but also the state under-19 team that will travel to Western Australia in June.

Harvey is determined to get on the court this time, after being forced to miss the national under-17 championships last year due to mysterious injury.

``I got a bone infection in my leg, so I was on crutches,'' Harvey said.

``I'm not sure how it happened, my leg blew up on the flight over and I had to go to hospital and get put on a drip.''

Now fully recovered, Harvey gained his spot on both teams after attending tryouts in Launceston where he performed well.

Despite playing against rivals three years older than him, the quietly-spoken Harvey said he backed his ability to get selected in the five-member under-19 boys team.

``I was fairly confident,'' he said.

Badminton was a sport Harvey was always going to excel at, with a strong family tradition.

``I've been playing for eight years and got started by Mum, Dad and Nan taking me over - they used to run badminton in Ulverstone,'' Harvey said.